Fantastic Four #18: Nova Time 4

Fantastic Four #18, page 16, panel 1

Written by: Stan Lee

Drawn by: Jack Kirby

Inking: Dick Ayers

Lettering: Art Simek

I can’t even remember if this panel fits my own arbitrary rules as to whether or not a bright blast of light is the same thing as ‘going nova’. However, it’s been nearly six months since I put something into this category, and as this issue of the book is proving to be such a rich mine of material, I’ve decided that it doesn’t matter so much!

Having only recently covered Fantastic Four Annual #4 for the podcast, I’m struck by how this move, seemingly an obvious one from the Human Torch, was missing from the Torch vs Torch battle presented there. It would have been a great trick for Johnny to pull to confuse the android Human Torch, but I guess it’s one both Stan and Jack had forgotten about by then.